AN Well, time to wrap up the details of Operation Pheonix, and get the heck out of Tokyo. But first, a few loose ends need to be tied up.

Sly 5:

Return of the Thievious Racconus

Ch20

OPERATION PHEONIX

Wrap up operations

Sly's POV: All I could see was black. I thought I was dead, or buried in a pile of rubble. The last thing I could remember was a fireball and Shadow slamming me into the SRW's cockpit. But then, I tried to open my eyes, and saw the pinpricks of light begin to seep through the cracks.

"Ah, your beginning to regain conscience. Good. I was surprised you were out this long."

"Shadow? How long have I-"

'About nine hours, give or take. I guess I may have hit you a little to hard when I saved you, but I don't think your armor could have taken those scuttling charges."

"So, can I get a SITREP or just the bare details. I'm guessing there was a fight?"

"Oh trust me, you'll get a copy of the recording as soon as I can get the SRW back to my friends to begin repairs and continue construction. But here are the bare details.

After you blacked out, the charges ripped us loose from our moorings. Given that we were weighing in at about 90000 tons, I was a bit surprised myself. When we landed on the surface of the fortress, Li was waiting with a massive unmanned mech to fight us. Long story short, we won, and her fortress and the shield are gone. Emergency crews are currently extracting survivors."

"What is the world's reaction? Surely the presence of so many people claiming to have seen these events-"

"Li was prepared for that. She doesn't want our private little war known. She triggered a 7.9 earthquake right off the coast. Shock waves wiped away the battle scars, the mech remains auto destructed into sand, and a tailor mad nanite virus in the water supply of the town has rendered the survivors of all this completely unaware of the battle. No one will ever know about this battle. She has always made sure of that."

"What do you mean, always?"

"This isn't our first fight. It is the first on this scale, but small engagments in remote parts of the world have occurred. Tugunska, Siberia, Krack-Karov, Bombay, remote jungle ruins in Asia and South America, the Nevada dessert, the middle of the Pacific. We have had our battles."

"So, nobody knows anything at all?"

"No one except you, me, Li, and our respective organizations."

So, this was what I had gotten myself tangled in, a shadow war. Funny. I felt as if I had done this before.

"Speaking of lack of memories, I got this for you." Shadow reached over to a table by the bed I was lying in and picked up the ruby he had acquired from the fortress. "I'm gonna need that back as I have no clue what Li was using it for, but I think you have a more pressing need for it right now."

I picked up the ruby, and I felt my mind wander. This wasn't like the last time, no horrors greeted me. Indeed, these felt... pleasant, like regarded an old flame.

I was dangling over a glass case inside of a manor. No nameplate or placard was present, but I knew that this rub, one of the largest in the world, was the Firestone of India, stolen from it's museum case in Bombay and replaced with a fake. Everything went to black, and suddenly I was being chase across the yard of the manor by someone, or something, rounds from what sounded like a M9 9mm Beretta being fired at me. A cry, one that sounded similar to something I knew, yet different all the same, was being muffled by the gunfire and the radio piece in my ear. Suddenly, rounding a corner, I was in the middle of a police parking lot, dodging fire from a fox perched on a rooftop, firing the mother of all stun-guns at me. Glimpsing back, I was greeted by the same woman in the leather jacket I had had seen before. She had a bright red shock gun in hand, aimed right at me.

Who was she? Why does she haunt my past? WHAT IS SHE TO ME!

"SLY! SLY! DAMNIT WAKE UP!"

I jolted upright in the bed. I was hot, like I had awoken from a nightmare, beads of sweat covered my face, rolling down into the sheets of the bed. Shadow had both hands on my shoulders, like he had been shaking me. "What happened?"

"Thank God. As soon as you touched the diamond, you blacked out. I though it was normal, I have seen people go into trances when regaining lost memories, but then about 30 minutes into it, you started screaming something about a woman and what she is to you. What the heck did you see in there?"

Recovering from the shock, I told Shadow everything I had seen. Given that he knew about my past exploits, I figured he may know about that woman in the leather jacket.

A few minutes later, Shadow nodded his head. "I know about some of your more famous adventures, but a lot of what you did, or at least are accused of, exist on no database, sever, or filing cabinet on Terra. I have no clue who she is. You got some kinda disgruntled lover after you I need to know about?"

I chuckled. "If I knew that, would I be asking you?"

"True, but I figured it may have jarred something loose. Speaking of which, I have a few thing I need to tie up before we leave."

"Where are we going?"

"Well, for one, my job here is done, and Li knows I have something in this area, so we can't act out of here. Second, the SRW needs a lot of repair work done just to even be worth calling scrap. And finally, seeing as you have no base to operate out of of your own, I figured you could tag along. I can provide you with more means beside that suit of yours to track down other artifacts from your past, and you can aid me if I need a thief."

"Scratching each others backs, eh? Sounds good to me. But how are we leaving if the SRW is scrap. I don't think the Phoenix can haul it."

"In about three days, a recovery vessel will arrive to pick us up and carry us to our destination. Until then, you need to rest up, in case there was any lasting damage from the fight. Meanwhile, I have a contact to meet. I'll be back soon. Here's the TV remote. If you need anything, this place has an automated butler to aid you."

Three hours later

Shadow's POV: I had arrived at the meeting place, Ramen Don, a ramem shop in the Shibuya district that had survived the battle and was still in business, a thirty minutes ago. It was a simple place, but well loved by it's patrons for it's excellent cooking. Numerous local celebrities frequently visited it, which was why the back had numerous private booths. I knew he owner well, and had secured the room for the night, saying I expected company soon to discuss business. I was dressed inconspicuously enough, in my usual civilian attire. A white loose fitting golf shirt, loose fitting blue jeans, black leather gloves, and a well worn pair of boots, leather jacket on over it. This was able to hide just how well armed and armored I was. I was wearing my skin suit underneath of my clothes, giving the appearance that I was wearing a black undershirt, as it passed up my collar to protect my neck. Two K-Bars were concealed in the sleeves of my jacket, ready to slide out into my hands, and a pair of .45 Colts were expertly concealed in my jeans. Not as heavily armed as I could be, but I expected things to go well.

"Mister Andrews," I looked at the door, seeing the shop owner sticking his head in," your company has arrived."

'Ah, thank you Ken. Please, show them in. We have much to discuss. And please, three bowls of Tonkotsu ramen for me and my guests. I'm sure they will enjoy it."

"Right away sir."

As Ken exited the room to prepare the ramen, my two guests entered. The first was the fox, clad in bright red t-shirt, khaki pants, and her trademarked jacket. She also wore a beret on her head, concealing what of of her cobalt blue hair wasn't bunched up in a ponytail. Her accomplice was as usual, in his wheelchair, safari hat and burnt glasses on head, with a blue shirt and khaki shorts.

"Ah, welcome, welcome, come, have a seat. I ordered us one of Ken's finest. This place is a local legend for a reason."

"Cut to the chase before Bently puts a 10oz high explosive charge in your neck. Why the hell are we here in a disaster are and what have you done with Sly?"

"Miss Fox, I assure you of three things. One, that I gave you that message to come here in good faith as it stated. You will find nothing here that will harm you, save the things I never leave home with, and a small sliver or to of bone in your ramen. Ken thinks we are here on business, so let us remain civil. Second, I assure you that Sly is in perfect health, save a few minor injuries. And third," I was interrupted by Ken bringing in our bowls of ramen. "That this food is delicious. Now, let us eat and discuss. There is much for you all to learn.

Two hours later

I was getting up to leave my guests, and the now eight empty bowls, four of which were mine, behind. Turning back to them, I left with my parting remarks.

"So, I believe that covers all the details that I am comfortable sharing with you at the moment. Trust me, he is best off with me at the moment. I will contact you all again when I make my next move. Don't try to follow us. And as for this," I handed a small bug to Bentley," nice try, but I felt it."

Carmalita's POV: "Did you believe a think he said Bentley? Of mechs and a shadow war? And of him and this Li being in Prauge back during the affairs with the Contessa?"

"I don't know what to think. But if a tenth of what he said was true. We have far bigger fish to fry."

An uneasy alliance forged

Details shared and hidden still

What awaits our hero's next?

Who knows?

AN Well folks, that's all for this chapter. Soon we'll be leaving Japan, and heading of to Shadow's main base. Who knows what awaits Sly? Also, time for a reference hunt.

If you know where I got the Ramen Don from without research, congratulations, you are one of the few that played that truly wonderful game. So, see ya all next time!